The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
The following is an example of a specific aspect in the prior art that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
By way of educational background, another aspect of the prior art generally useful to be aware of is that air conditioning is the process of altering the properties of air (primarily temperature and humidity) to more comfortable conditions, typically with the aim of distributing the conditioned air to an occupied space to improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality. This involves a refrigeration cycle that carries fluids through a coils, condensation lines, and various other refrigerant components.
In the refrigeration cycle, heat is transported from a colder location to a hotter area. As heat would naturally flow in the opposite direction, work is required to achieve this. A refrigerator is an example of such a system, as it transports the heat out of the interior and into its environment, such as a room. The refrigerant is used as the medium which absorbs and removes heat from the space to be cooled and subsequently rejects that heat elsewhere.
Typically, the cycle continues as the circulating refrigerant vapor enters a compressor and is compressed to a higher pressure, resulting in a higher temperature as well. The hot, compressed refrigerant vapor is now at a temperature and pressure at which it can be condensed and is routed through a condenser line to the condenser. At the condenser, the vapor is cooled by air flowing across the condenser coils and condensed into a liquid. Thus, the circulating refrigerant rejects heat from the system and the heat is carried away by the air.
The condensed and pressurized liquid refrigerant is next routed through an expansion valve where it undergoes an abrupt reduction in pressure. That pressure reduction results in flash evaporation of a part of the liquid refrigerant, lowering its temperature. The cold refrigerant is then routed through the evaporator. A fan blows the warm air, which is to be cooled, across the evaporator, causing the liquid part of the cold refrigerant mixture to evaporate as well; thus further lowering the temperature. The warm air is consequently cooled. To complete the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant vapor is routed back into the compressor through a condensation line.
The condensation line discharges excess condensate formation. It is known that condensate formation is problematic to air conditioners and other refrigeration systems. When humid air contacts an air conditioner's cold evaporator coils, moisture from the air condenses on the coils. The condensed moisture, called “condensate,” must be collected and disposed of to prevent water damage to property in the vicinity of the air conditioner.
Often, the collection of the condensate that drips off the air conditioner's evaporator coils, involves the use of a drain pan placed below the coils. The condensate collected in the drain pan is then carried through a condensation discharge line to a sewer system or an outside area. A common problem occurring with condensate drain pipes has been that biotic growth, such as algae or fungus, formed in the pipes blocks the flow of condensate. The blockage caused by this biotic growth results in condensate backing up in the drain pan and ultimately spilling over into the surrounding area. The collection of condensate encourages the growth of bacteria, algae, and other organisms that block the condensation line. Further, because the drainage system is out of sight, it may be neglected until damage occurs to the lines and components of the air conditioning unit.
It is known that a biocide is a chemical substance or microorganism which can deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means. Biocides can be added to the condensation line to inhibit the growth of bacteria, algae, and other organisms that block the condensation line.
Even though the above cited systems and methods for dispensing a biocide into a condensation line address some of the needs of the market, a device that easily attaches to the condensation line and controllably releases the biocide through the utilization of a time release pump is still desired. Devices that dispense biocide into condensation lines and cold-lines have been used for inhibiting algae in the past, yet none with the present characteristics of the present invention. See patent numbers: U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,778; U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,813; U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,034 and U.S. 20130306163.